… Warns against lost of jobs
Radio Television Theatre Act Workers Union (RATTAWU ) has called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to urgently summoned a stakeholders meeting to discuss challenges affecting broadcast stations in Nigeria.
According to a statement signed by the General Secretary of RATTAWU, Comrade Akpausoh Akpausoh, said such unilateral decision by the NBC is capable of pushing many Nigerians into the labour market.
The group also advocates for civid-19 palliative be given to all broadcast stations in the country to cushion the effect of the pandemic on the organisations.
“RATTAWU, while urging the debted stations to do the needful, also condemns the action of NBC, describing it as untimely and uncircumspect. RATTAWU therefore calls on NBC to convoke a stakeholders meeting where the issues will be discussed.
“Therefore, decisions that affect the broadcast environment should be taken with sapiential guidance and consideration. The action of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is unilateral. It is not a product of stakeholders of the broadcast industry.
“Information is the oxygen of democracy. This truism has stood the test of time and in all climes. Therefore, Nigeria cannot be an exception. It is on the basis of the above that Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) has no other option but to caution the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) that while the commission has the unreserved constitutional right to revoke the licenses of Radio and Television stations that have not done the needful; however, the prevailing climate makes such an action untimely and with grave consequences.
“This is because, most of these stations are yet to recover from the covid-19 shock. It would be recalled that during the lock-down, these stations did brave services of sustaining broadcasting. RATTAWU also made a case that the broadcast stations be given special covid-19 palliative, considering the laudable role they played.
“Just after the upliftment of covid-19 lock-down, the Nigerian state got stuck in the unexplained mudy waters of hike in the prices of Diesel, which most stations rely on to run their programmes in the near absence of power supply from the Power Holding Companies.
“This is an issue that is, at best, embarrassing to the Nation.
From the foregoing, it is needless to say that the broadcast environment is not healthy and friendly”.
